Allelopathic Properties of Lamiaceae Species: Prospects and Challenges to Use in Agriculture

Abstract

Herbicide resistance due to the increasing reliance on herbicides is a near-term challenge for the world’s agriculture. This has led to a desire to develop new herbicides with a novel mode of action, to address resistance in weed species. Lamiaceae, a large dicotyledonous plant family, is very well known for the multitudinous pharmacological and toxicological properties of its member species. Moreover, many species of this family are significant for their allelopathic activity in natural and laboratory settings. Thus, plants in Lamiaceae have the potential to be sources of alternative herbicides. However, gaps in our knowledge need to be addressed prior to adopting these allelopathic activities in agriculture. Therefore, we review the existing state of knowledge about the Lamiaceae family, the reported allelopathic properties of plant extracts, and their isolated allelochemicals under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. In addition, we offer a perspective on existing challenges and future opportunities for adopting the allelopathic properties of Lamiaceae plant species for green agriculture.